Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02286755 1999-10-15
FpE~ THIS
TR~NShA'~1~
TICKET INSPECTIQN SYSTEM
D~SCRIPTIC)N
The invention relates to a ticket inspection system for detecting duplicated
tickets.
Frequently, counterfeit tickets are produced and sold for large public
events, in parkicular far events without assigned seating- Por example,
counterfeiters frequently buy tickets at advance ticket sales and duplicate
those
tickets using a color copier or an offset printing process. In addition, the
printer
who produced the tickets, would also be able to produce tickets with identical
printed numbers and to seH those tickets. It ~nrould be practically impossible
for the
ticket takers et large public events to detect counterfeit tickets because of
the large
number of patrons.
It is therefore an object of the present invention tv provide a ticket
inspedion system for detecting duplicated tickets.
The object is solved by the invention in that the ticket are encoded with an
distinct coding which can be read by a reading device, and that the reading
device
is connected to a computer capable of recognizing a duplicated ticket.
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Because the tickets have a distinct coding which can be read by a reading
device, the computer connected to the reading device can recognize a
duplicated
ticket quickly and reliably even with a large audience_
if a ticket with the same distinct coding is repeatedly presented, they ticket
takers can make targeted inspections to detect these tickets that have been
counterteited.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ticket has a first
random coding generated by a random number generator and associated with the
ticket. Using the random number generator ensures the generation of an
unpredictable or non-repeatable system of distinct codes.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the codes are
printed on the ticket in the form of a bar code which may, for example, have
20
digits.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the coding
is only detectable or visible with the naked eye when viewed under artificial
light
having a specific wavelength. In this way, the coding will not be copied when
counterfeit tickets are produced using a color copier. Such tickets can
already be
recognized as counterfeit or duplicated tickets when presented for the first
time.
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According to still another preferred embodiment of the invention, the tickets
include in addition to the first random coding a second sequential coding. The
computer can thereby check if the two codings are correctly associated with
each
other. If the association is incorrect, then l:he ticket is already recognized
as a
counterfeit ticket when presented for the first time.
The invention also relates to a method for detecting duplicated tickets.
In particular with large public events, it is practically impossible for the
ticket
takers to recognize duplicated or counterfeit tickets at the gate.
It is therefore another object of the present invention to provide a method
for recognizing duplicated tickets determinedly and quickly.
The object is solved according to the invention by providing the tickets with
at least one distinct coding and reading the coding with the reading device at
the
gate and transmitting the coding to a computer which registers the coding and
activates an alarm signal when the same coding is presented again.
By a reading the coding with a reading device, the ticket can be checked
essentially without delay and duplicated tickets are d9tected when repeatedly
presented. The ticket takers can then determine the authenticity of the ticket
based
on additional features.
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According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the alarm signal is
also activated when a deviation from the predetermined coding is detected. In
this
way, tickets having a counterfeit coding are recognized quickly and reliably.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the tickets
are provided with a random first coding which is generated by a random number
generator and printed on the tickets. Ttie coding generated by the random
number generator is stored in a memory device which can be removed from the
computer, wherein the memory device can be temporarily stored under secure
conditions and provided to the computer connected to the reader before the
gates
open. With this arrangement, the printer who produced the tickets will not be
able
to reprint tickets having the same coding.
According to still another preferred Embodiment of the invention, the first
random coding is printed using a transparent material which can only be
detected
under artificial light having a specific wavelength. In this way, tickets
produced
with color copiers do not have a coding, so that those tickets can be
recognized
easily at the gate as counterfeit tickets.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the tickets
include a second sequential coding which is also read by the reading device
and
transmitted to the computer. The computer checks if the random first coding is
associated with the correct ticket and/or the correct second coding. The
second
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CA 02286755 1999-10-15
coding can be printed on the tickets together with general information about
the
event at the same time the ticket is printed. Since it would be risky for a
counterfeiter to sell a large number of tickei;s having the same sequential
number
andlor the same second coding, the counterfeiter will have to change the
sequential coding. However, the first random coding which the counterfeiter
would
have copied from a genuine ticket, would then in most cases be incorrectly
associated- Such incorrect association can be recognized already at the gate
when the respective tickets are presented for the first time.
Additional details of the invention are disclosed in the following detailed
description and the appended drawings which show exemplary embodiments of
the invention. In the drawings, it is shpwn in:
FIG. 1 a top view of a ticket,
FIG- Z a top view of a different ticket,
FIG. 3 a schematic circuit diagram of the connection of a random
number generator, a computer and a printer, and
FIG. 4 a schematic circuit diagram of the Connection between the
computer, the reader and the ticket.
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The tickets inspection system includes essentially a ticket (1 ), a
computer (2) and a reading device (3) connected to the computer (2).
The ticket (1 ) is printed in a conventional manner and provided with the
customary information about the event (date and place of the event, organizer,
performance, sequential number of the ticket, etc.). In addition, the ticket
(1)
includes a first random coding (4) generated by a random number generator (5)
The first random coding (4) can be stored on a magnetic stripe (6) arranged on
the
ticket (1 ) or may be printed on the ticket (1 ) as a first bar code (7). The
first bar
code (7) can be printed with a visible ink or 'with transparent ink which is
visible to
the naked eye only under artificial light of a specific wavelength or which
alternatively can be read with the reading device (3) implemented, for
example, as
a bar code scanner (8).
The ticket (1, 1') includes a second sequential coding (9) corresponding to
the sequential ticket number (10). The second sequential coding (9) can also
be
stored on the magnetic stripe (6). The; second sequential coding (9) is
advantageously arranged next to the f rst random coding (4), so that the
second
sequential coding (9) can be read together with the first random coding (4) by
the
reading device (3) in a single operation.
If the first random coding (4) is arranged on the ticket (1 ) as a first bar
code (7), then the second sequential coding (9) is arranged as a second bar
6
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code (11 ) following the first bar code {7). In this way, the first coding (4)
and the
second coding (9) can be read by the reading device (3) in a single operation.
The second bar code (11 ) can already be applied to the ticket (1 ) together
S with the sequential ticket number (10) when the customary information is
printed
on the ticket (1 ). Alternatively, the second bar code (11 ) can be applied on
the
ticket (1 } together with the first bar code (7). The first bar code (7) is
printed on the
ticket (1 } by presenting the ticket to a printer (12) which is implemented as
a bar
code printer and connected to a computer (2'}.
A random number generator (13) which is also connected to the
computer (2'), generates for each ticket (1, 1') the first random coding (4)
associated with the ticket {1, 1'), wherein the first random coding (4)
printed on the
ticket (1, 1') is controlled by the computer (2') and a simultaneously stored
in a
memory device (14) which can be removed from the cpmputer (2'). The memory
device (14) can be implemented, for example, as a removable disk or as a
recordable CD-ROM.
The printer {12) controlled by the computer (2') prints the first bar code (7)
next to the second bar code (11 ). The merr~ory device (14) is then removed
from
the computer {2') and temporarily stored at a secure location anti! the day of
the
event. Before the audience is given access to the event, the memory device
(14)
is presented to the computer {2) connected to the reading device (3). One
reading
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device (3) or several reading devices (3), for example in the form of bar code
scanners (8), can be connected to the computer (2). The reading devices (3)
and
the bar code scanner (8}, respectively, can be connected to the computer (2)
via a
point-to-paint connection (15) or a wireless connection (16)_
The wireless connection (16) can be implemented, for example, via infrared
signals or via radio signals. The ticket takers are provided with the reading
devices (3) and the bar code scanners (8), respectively. Each patron entering
the
event hands the ticket taker hislher ticket (1 " 1'), who then reads the
coding (4, 9)
using the reading device (3). The computer registers the presentation of the
ticket (1, 1') and checks if the ticket (1, 1') is presented for the first
time or may
possibly have been duplicated or counterfeited. If the computer {2) detects
that a
ticket (1, 1') has been presented more than once, or if the computer (2)
detects a
missing first coding (4) or an incorrect association between the first coding
(4) and
the second sequential coding (9), then the computer (2) activates an alarm
signal.
If, on the other hand, the computer (2) rE~cognizes the ticket (1, 1') as
being
genuine, then the computer {2) transmits an authorization signal. The
authorization
signal is presented in the form of an authorization display (20) and may be
displayed in the form of an illuminated green LED arranged on the reading
device (3) or in the form of a brief acoustic signal from a buzzer (18)
disposed on
the reading device (3). If the computer (2) recognizes an inconsistency on the
ticket (1, 1'), then the computer (2) activates an alarm signal. The alarm
signal
may be implemented in the form of an alarm display (21 ) and may have the form
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of an illuminated red hEf~ (19) arranged an the reading device {3}. The alarm
signal, however, may also be provided as a continuous acoustic tone of the
buzzer (18).
Alternatively, the visitor may also place the ticket in an opening {not shown)
provided in the reading device (3), where the ticket (1, 1') is checked. If
the
ticket {1, 1'} is legitimate, then the computer {2} can release a gate secured
by, far
example, a turnstile to allow only one person to pass through. If access is
denied,
then the patron will have to report to the ticket taker, who may then check
the
ticket (1, 1') once more and manually enable access.
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